Glass cutting apparatus



April 2, 1935. wI owl-:N 1,996,386

GLASS CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, `1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR April 2 1935. w. OWEN 1,996,386

GLASS CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1933- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 j@ Y lNvEN'roR April 2, 1935. w, OWEN 1,996,386

GLASS CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1935 4 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR y Patented pr. 2, 1935 1- UNITED ls'frA'ri-:sv

'1,996,386'5 'y l y n GLASS CUTTINGAPAMVTUS, y. u l William Owen, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Ptts-r burgh Plate Glass Company,fa corporation of Pennsylvania Y l Application August 26, 1933,'.sn'a1 Neisseria;

' j ioolaims.

The invention relates to an` apparatus for cut# ting glass plates or sheets. into sections. The apparatus is designed particularly for cutting sheet or window glass, but may be used for cutting plate .f glass, and" constitutes an improvement on the apparatus of my pending application Serial No. 644,926, filed .April 7, v1933. The invention has to do with the cutter heads and the meansjfo-r positioning them upon the bridge whichr moves over the glass, as in vsuchapplication, and has for its principal objects; (1) the provision of improved means for raising: and loweringv the cutters and indexing the cutter heads on .the bridge, whereby the cutting heads are indexed p; before the cutters engage the glass andthe f outtersare given a slow movement ofap'proach to the glass, whichconditionis. desirable'in order to prevent injuryV tothe cutters, particularly whendiamonds are employed; (2) the'provis'ion of improved means permitting Ythe accuratere-- placement of. the cutter carriers .withoutloss of time.; and v(3) the provision of an improved rule or scale systemor positioning. or settingthe various cutter heads on the! bridge,A whereby the vari-1 ous cutters may be set by individual scaleswith-y out anyY necessity of calculation on: the part of I 1 modifications.

Referring' to the drawings,Y I` is across the table and suitably. mounted Vfor. movement over the glass in the` directionindicated by. the Varrow in Fig. ,1`. .This bridge carries a plurality` of .cutters which Vare vindividually adjust-v able'longitudinallyl of the bridge'so that the glass Y sheet may be cut into any desired number of secf tions of any desired dimension as later described.

Thebridge is preferably in the formfof a channel having the flanges #and 52 groovedon their inner faces to provide guideways for the Asetsofy wheels 6a, 6% and 6, 5, with whicheach of; thecutter heads is provided, each-cutterheadl having its own cutting tool. The cutter heads: each comf 'prise Aa body lportion Y1VV extendingr atfan angle to the bridge (Fig.`2) `asin myapplication heretofore referred to and` carryingnthe spindles; 8, 8,

' 8, 8 in whose ends the guide roller'sa, 6a and 8,8

' aremounted for rotation, suchspindles being pressed yieldingly. outward' by 1meansA .of the springs 9, A55. The front'side oi the headA ispro- .vided with a pair. of forwardlyprojeotingflanges {tagli} betweenwhich the operatingq lever Iifnisl a cutting table which supports the glass Asheets 2 which are to,` becut into-sections, andf3 isa bridgeextending mounted on the pivot I2, suchlever serving the two functions, as later described, of indexing the head with respectA to the bridge and of raising and. lowering the cutting tool.. f

`A cutter stem I3 is ,carriedA by a swingingparrnf I4 pivoted at I5 between the flanges I0,j I8, such 'army being connected to .the lever I Iv by vmeans. j

of thechainlt and linkV I1.A When the operating.. Y lever islfinvthevertical position indicated inl'ig.Y 1o..

1; the arm `I4 ,occupies thegposition shownwith the cutterr I8 carried by the steml' in engage;- ment with the glass,'sheetrygWhcnthelever II lis swung tothe right, the pin I,9,Jto` WhCh. .theA upper end ofthe chain I6, isattachedyfollows the arc 2,0 ,soy that' when the. leyer .arrives at,V 1aA horizontalpositiom asshown in dotted lines, the l .f

arm I4 isi raised and thecutter is out of I-:fngage-` mentzjwithgthe; glass.

The cutter ,stem I3jextendszslidably 'throughf a i cylindrical memberv 2|` mounted for rotary fad-1V justxnentinV the'block 22. Thefmember 2I is' clampedin position by means of the thumb screw, y'

23,- so Ythat' by this'meana the angle .of .theout-fy terfwith respectV to the glass may be adjustedgto,

suit requirements. The block Y22 Lis providedgwith a forwardly projecting stem 24, on which isslidfv ably mounted the weight25 securedby the thumb.;y 'l

screw26, thus providinga meansfor adjusting the pressure of ,thecutting tool upon the glass.- The f blockA 22 has a dove-tail engagement .with the second block 21, 'as indicatedat 28,'-which permits of av laterali adjustment ofthe b1ock-22 withre-` 'spect toHr the block 21 'for the'purpose later` de-W. A' scribed. 1 In order toy lock the block 22-1 in adiust-Y f ed -relation'withfrespect ,to the block 21, such bloei;v 21 is split, as indicated at 29,. so that when clamping pressureis applied to thegtwo parts, the d0vej-`v tail guide portionsjare tightened. This clamping action is accomplishedibyxmeans of" a hollow boltV 30, threaded into the. lower; half of the block 21 and havingthefhead 3I Thefubolt is madeI .hollow ing :order to.V providelra passage for the tube 34 which: is supplied with kerosene. The block 21is secured tothe arm I4' bymeansy of a rec-V tangular stemfntting `in alsuitable recess inV the arm and clamped in positionfby means of the thumbQscrew-z36. Y f

The block-2,2 is provided upon its uppery -face with an indexing arm 31, asjlshown inAFig, "il, such arm being pivoted luponv the screw ,38, *whichY canl be tightened to hold the indexing-1 arm in any desired position Vofadjustment.` The end ofthisv j 55y stop 39secure d to the top'ofthe. 4block 21 ad- 1 indexingL arm .is adaptedto engage an indexing` jacent the forward end Y. thereof This device comes ,into play when a replacement `of"thefcut 'ter I8v isnecessary.`v This cuttenmustcoincide withgtheucenter line f of *the* cutter yhead, vso n that A32 carryingqthe lubricatingwick V33. This tube is connected.` at its upperen'd tothe receptacleIV when the head is indexed at a particular dimension, the diamond will give a cut at the proper point. Due to the factthatthe diamonds are in most cases oif center 'withrespect' Vto theA center lines of their stems, it is necessary to get an exact adjustment of the cutting point of the diamond by a cut-andtry method, and if this meth-4Y od were employed upon the cutter head, acon-j siderable amount of time .Y would be 10st, The use ofthe indexing arm 3,1 in conjunction with a stop 39, permits this adjustment to be made away from the head on aso-called setting jig so that when it is necessary vto Ireplace the diamond on one of the heads 22, this head 22, canA beremoved and `replaced by another head carrying a new diamond inwhich the relation of.

the diamond to the center line of the'head has beenascertained and the indexing arm set accordingly. In the use of the setting jig, a mem-V berfsimilar Vto the block 21 islemployed, and by trial; `the`blck corresponding tothe block.22

' is adjusted laterally in theblock `21 until the line ofcut of the diamond'coincides exactly with the center line A (Fig. 4) of the block 21. The armfis then moved sov that its point engages the stop corresponding'to the stop 39 and the arm is'clamped in position by the screw 38. If now it is K4necessary"togr'eplace one of the blocks 22 p -and the cuttercarried'thereby, the block as above prepared, is substitutedvon thernachine'and'is- Yadjusted laterally until' the-end off the arm 31'- engages the stop 39, Which'insuresx that the diamondwill be' positioned exactlyY in accordance with the center line of the cutter head.

, The indexing of -the cutting heads longitudinally of the bridge v4 is accomplished by means of lthe leversl I l, one of which i's carried by each Vbridge by the stud'boltsA 44. The scale issecured in position by means of the screws 45and intermediate the plates 42 and 43 -is a 'spacing strip 46 preferably of wood. Inindexing a'head, `the lever His swung from horizontal to vertical po sition and engages one'of the notches 40 and positions the head before the movement of the pin I9 permits the cutter I 8V to engage theglass. There is'thus noilateral movement'of' thecutter uponthe glass after such cutter engages the glass. As heretofore explained, the iinalmovement of the cutter downward' is relatively slow,

due to the arc v2li so thatV there isno Ainjury toV the cutter when it strikes the glass. The lever Il is stopped when'it reaches vertical position bythe engagement of the* stop screw Ha with Y the block such screw Vbeingheldin adjusted position' by rthe nut`1lb. Afte'rfa cutting operation, the levers Il may all be moved to horifz'ontal position by means of the indexing bar 41 extending f longitudinally of the bridge and mounted for a swinging movement on the arms 48, this device'beingA more fully set'forth in my application heretofore referred to. .i

Invadditionto` the xed scale 42, an individual scale is provided for-each of the cutter-heads, two

of such scales 49 being'shown in 1"ig.""2.`A rI'hese Vscalesv lie in overlapping position in'a recess 5D in the bar 51,'such bar being clamped by Ythe screws 52 to the plate 43. Secured to each head bythe 1thescales 49 can be seen from above.

screws 53 is a pointer 54, such pointer having a pair of prongs 55 and 56, the prong 55 lying over and adapted to register with the graduations on the scale 42, while the prong 55 lies in opposition to and registers with the graduations on the kscales 49. A triangular opening 51 is cut through the end 0f the pointer so that the graduations on The scale 49 is secured to the pointer 54 by means of a pin 584 so that vwhen the head and pointer are moved laterally, the scale 49 moves with it. Each of the heads is provided with a scale 49 which is securedto `the pointer on such head, and these scales are nested one above the other. The scales are preferably of a concave-convex shape, as indicated in Fig. 1, as they are stiier than flat scales, but it is possible to use flat scales lying one above the other. The bridge as shown in Fig. 2 illustrates only two cutter heads, but it will be understood that in practice, a considerable number of these heads are employed, so that the glasssheet 2 may be divided into as many strips as may be desired, all at the one cutting operation.

Ordinarily, one head is positioned near each of the edges of the sheet in order to trim 01T such edges,.and the body of the sheet is divided into several sections depending upon the size of sheet desired and upon the marking of the sheet for defects. The scale 42 is ordinarily employed to set-,the'end cutter which trims the edge of the sheet. Ifthis cutterwere placed at the twelve inch mark,-as indicated, the other cutters might easily ibe set with reference to this cutter by calculation on the part of the operator, and if he wished to secure a' strip twenty-four inches in width, he would set the next cutter at the thirtysix inchr mark on the xed scale. The entire cutting operation might thus be carried out by the use of the single scale 42, but preferably the scales 4S are used in addition to the scale 42 in order to avoid the necessity of any calculation on the part of theoperator, which takes time and may'involvesome error. The use of the scales 49, one of which is attached to each cutter head, permits the width of each strip to be shown in inches beginning with zero. For instance, with the end cutter Y'set' at the I2 graduation, as indicated in Fig. A2, and it is desired to cut a strip three inches in width, the second head is moved over to the position shown in Fig. 2, carrying with it its scale 49, which movement uncovers the scale 49 which is attached to the end head. The prong 56 thus comes opposite the 3 graduation on the scale 49 beneath. This applies to the cutting of all the other strips as each head may be set' and Yits prong can be read on thescale beneath in the number of inches which is to be cut from the sheet Without any requirement for addition. 'Ihis ex pedientinvolving the use of the nested scales 4S, each of which has its zero point opposite a prong 56, 'renders the setting of the heads very rapid and free from-error.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the indexing device for the cutter, in which the stop block 39 of the Fig. 4 construction is omitted, and the point of the indexing arm 31 is positioned with respect to the block 21 by means of the line 51. In other respects, the construction is the same as that of Fig. 4. f

Fig. 6 is still another modication, in which thev iixed arm is substituted for the arms 31 of the Figs. 4and 5 constructions. This arm carries a set screw 59 which is adapted to engage the stop block 39. The functioning of this apparatus is the sameas that of the other forms of construcbridge for positioning the heads positively thereo tion. v

What I claim is: l. Incombination'in glass cutting apparatus, a bridge, a cutter head adjustable along the bridge, a cutter armv mounted on thezhead for free up and down movement provided with a transverse guide, ablock mounted for adjustment along the guide, a cutter carried on the block,

indexing means on the arm adjacent the block by means of which the cutter may be centered with respect to the arm and the head, and a transversely adjustable indexing member on the block adapted to register with said indexing means.

2. In combination in glass cutting apparatus, a bridge, a cutter head adjustable along the bridge, a cutter Varm mountedon the head for free up' and down movement provided Awith a transverse guide, a block mounted for adjustment along the guide, an indexing stop member on the arm adjacent the blocl-:,'a cutter carried on the block, and a transversely adjustable indexing member on .the block adapted to engage* the stop member and thus position the cutter at apredetermined lateral positionwithrespect to the head."

3. In combination in glass cutting apparatus, a bridge, a cutter head. adjustable along the c bridge', a cutter arm mounted on the head for free up and down movement provided'witha transverse guide, a block mounted for adjustment along the guide, a'cutter carried on the block, indexing means on the arm adjacent the block by means ofl which thev cutter may be centered withrespect to the arm andthe head, a transversely adjustable indexing member on the block adapted to register with fsaid indexing means,

and means for clamping the indexingfmember in said notch, and a connectionbetween each of the arms yand their respective levers arranged so that` when the lever is in indexing position the cutter is lowered and engages the glass that is to be cut, and when the arm is in release position the Vcutter is raised out of contact with the sheet. A' v 5. In combination in glass cutting apparatusa bridge, a plurality of cutter heads adjustable along the bridge, indexing notches along the,`

bridge for positioning the heads positively thereon, a vertically movable cutter arm pivoted upon each headand provided With a cutter, a lever arm pivoted on each head adapted in one position to engage one of said notches andlock the head in position and in anotherfposition to be free from said notch, and a connection between eachk of the arms and their respective levers arranged so that when the lever is in release position the cutter is raised and out of contact with the glass sheet to be cut, and when the lever is moved to indexing positionit rst engages its receiving notch and then on a further movement permits the cutter to f engagethe sheet.

6. In combination in glass cutting apparatus,V a

' bridge,l a plurality of cutter heads adjustable along the bridge, indexing notchesr'along!` the on, a vertically movable cutter arm pivoted uponv Y each headV and provided with a cutter, a lever'- arm pivoted on each head adapted in one position to' engage'one of said notches and lock the tion theV cutter is raised and out of contact with the glass sheet to be cut, and when the lever is moved to indexing position it first engages its receiving notch and then on a further movement permits the cutter to engage the sheet, said`con-.

nection being arranged to give the cutterarm a relatively'slowV movement of approach tothe I glass sheet as compared withv the rate ormovement of the lever intov its indexing notch. l

7. In combinationin glass cutting apparatus, a Y

bridge, a plurality of ycutter heads adjustable along thebridge, means for securing the heads in their various positions ofy adjustment on thev bridge, a fixed scale extending along the bridge,

a Ascale attached to eachrhcad and with such l scales overlappingv each other in parallel with the iixed scale, and apointeron each head at vthe zero mark'of the scale carried by the head and reg- Yistering with the graduations on the` xed scale vand the graduations on the scales carried by the other heads. V

8. In combination in glass cutting apparatus, a

bridge,v a plurality of cutter heads adjustable .along the bridge, a iixed scale extending along lthe bridge, indexing notchesv with inch spacing carried` by the bridge, movable indexing mem- `bers kcarried by the heads and adapted to engage the notches when the cutters carried by the heads are on center with respect tothe inch graduations on the xed scale, and a scale attached to each head 'and with such scales overlapping each other in parallel with the fixed. scale, and a pointer on eachY head at the zero mark of the scale carried by the headand registering with the graduatons 'f on the xed'scale and the graduationson the ,V45 ,V

scales carried bythe other heads. l

9. In combination in glass cutting apparatus, a bridge, a plurality of cutter heads adjustable along the.V bridge, means lfor securing thev heads into their various positions of 'adjustment on the bridge, a xed scale extending along the bridge, a scale in theform of a graduatedlconvex concave metal strip attached to each head in parallel with 5 the fixed-'scale and arranged innested overlapping relation, and-,a pointer on each head at the zero mark of the scale carriedby the head and registering withVK the graduations on the iixed scale and the graduations on the scales carried Y by the other heads., 1

10. In combination inglass cutting apparatus,l a bridge, a plurality of cutter heads adjustable.

along thebridge, means for-securing the heads into their various positions of adjustmenton the bridge, a fixed scale' extending along thebridge,

prongs in alinementand arranged so that one prong registers with the graduations on the movable scales attached to the other heads andthe other one registers with the graduations ontheiixed scale. Y 

